1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a spraying apparatus with a counterweight member, and more particularly to a spraying apparatus which includes a counterweight member for preventing the front wheels of the apparatus from lifting from a supporting surface and producing unintended irregularities in the marks which the apparatus places on the supporting surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention is an improvement over the spraying apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,780 issued to Thomas Smrt on Feb. 10, 1987. The apparatus described in that patent includes a housing; wheels rotatably mounted to the housing for engaging a supporting surface and rolling on the supporting surface to allow easy movement of the housing; and a handle assembly secured to the housing for controlling the apparatus and activating an aerosol spray can. The housing has an open bottom; and the aerosol spray can or other container discharges its contents through the open bottom onto the subtending surface.
The handle assembly extends into the housing between the wheels of the apparatus and lies at an acute angle to the supporting surface. In addition, the material used to construct the apparatus is molded plastic or thin sheet metal. Therefore, when moving the apparatus, a user may easily and inadvertently push the handle assembly towards the surface, pivoting the apparatus on the rear wheels and lifting the front of the apparatus. This movement during operation of the apparatus results in discontinuities and imperfections in the marks provided by the apparatus.
The spraying apparatus of the present invention includes a counterbalance element which prevents the front end of the apparatus from lifting off of the surface. This element is a simple construction which minimizes the expense of manufacture and assembly and performs reliably.